These are the key reasons Councils apparently exist.
That is what the law says, at least.
So, you will excuse me that I am frustrated that more than ever we are seeing global conflicts being debated in our council chambers and sides being taken.
Many in our communities feel less safe because these debated motions are toxic.
They do not deliver peace and order. Rather, they deliver the opposite.
These motions simply amplify tensions and incite division.
Council Watch believes that everyone has the right to feel safe and that everyone impacted by any global conflict has the right to be supported equally by their local council and elected councillors. Council organisations must NEVER take sides.
Whilst my own Council has had the good sense to avoid these debates, several Councils nearby have not, and this has resulted in some community members being targeted, spat at, sworn at, receiving death threats, and feeling very scared. We do not want anyone to feel this way. Local Councils have a responsibility to ensure we all feel safe, no matter our race, religion, ethnicity, language, or cultural identity.
We have identified eight (8) Melbourne Councils where we think this issue is of most impact right now. We need your help.
Can you please spare a minute to sign our petition?
We would really appreciate it. Our petition simply asks those Councils to ensure they do all they can to keep people feeling safe and welcome by implementing a few ideas that will help everyone.
Thanks
The Council Watch Team.
You can read and sign the petition here:
You are also welcome to share this with friends and family.
Councils should look after their suburbs & not worry about wars etc in other countries,so far the only thing councils that have got involved in world politics is dividing the communities.
Stay in your lane & look after your rate payers.
Most councils can’t look after their suburbs let alone world affairs.
Although I fully support the measure and intention behind this petition, can we please avoid normalising the term "hate speech". There is only speech. People should be arrested for vandalism, not for words, unless they incite violence. The term 'hate crime' is another phrase we should avoid as the definitional creep on this leads to major issues in civic freedom. Unfortunately, I cannot put my name to such a petition with this language.
When we are watching humans being massacred, our government contributing finances, and we have a large Palestinian community in Melbourne, these issues do impact us.
The more people take a stand against genocide, the better. Councils are voices of the community and when the community calls for government representation, then it’s fantastic to see it done at local levels.
People are so fed up with the state and federal governments not working in the best interests of the people. This has led to members of the community trying to convince their local councillors to stand up for them instead. However, when it comes to war I agree that it is not the councils place to take sides or even get involved at all.
ANONYMOUS
30 to help save lives (copout)!!
We have 40 zones in our area already and 'double' high speed humps in so many streets, it's a joke. No community consensus and so called law makers are catering to their own whims!!